Bringing a Spanish-Israeli flair for flamenco to Suzanne Dellal

Spanish star dancer and choreographer Jose Porcel and revered Israeli dance teacher Silvia Duran are taking the stage in their first official collaboration.

By ORI J. LENKINSKI
JOSE PORCEL and Sylvia Doran will step lightly on the stage of the Suzanne Dellal Center in their Flamenco show. (photo credit: Courtesy)
JOSE PORCEL and Sylvia Doran will step lightly on the stage of the Suzanne Dellal Center in their Flamenco show.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Flamenco purists argue that only Spanish artists can produce true flamenco. Jose Porcel disagrees.
“Flamenco is the same in all parts of the world, if interpreted from the soul and the inner truth of each person. The technique works differently according to individual teachers. In Tel Aviv, Flamenco is well maintained by the teacher Silvia Duran,” Porcel said in a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post.
Tonight, Porcel, one of the most in-demand artists in Spain, and Duran, one of Israel’s top flamenco teachers, will take the stage together in their first official collaboration. Entitled Dreams, the evening will bring both Spanish and Israeli flamenco into the spotlight in a celebration of rhythm and movement.
Porcel is no stranger to Tel Aviv, having performed at the Suzanne Dellal Center many times over the past several years. Thanks to an intensive programming initiative by the Suzanne Dellal Center’s Yair Vardi, Flamenco artists have become regular guests in Tel Aviv.
“I feel very comfortable with the audience in Tel Aviv,” smiled Porcel, “I hope they like this production.”
A star dancer and choreographer, Porcel established a company in 2008 which has toured extensively throughout Europe and North America. As a guest of the annual Madridanza Festival, Porcel became acquainted with the blossoming flamenco community here in Israel.
It was during one of his tours that he met Duran, known lovingly as the first lady of Spanish dance in Israel.
For nearly four decades Duran has been teaching and performing flamenco around Israel.
Her Tel Aviv-based Center for Spanish Dance and Flamenco in Israel has educated many local performers such as Michal Natan, Carmel Natan and Neta Sheyzaf.
“The last time I was in Tel Aviv, we discussed the possibility of working together,” said Porcel.
“Silvia was the perfect person for this project and I am very proud of the work we did together.”
Due to geographic challenges, a large portion of the artistic process was conducted long distance. Porcel and Duran bounced ideas off one another via telephone and email then each contemplated and developed their thoughts in the studio. “We worked in this way for several months, with no meeting in person. We spoke at length about staging and choreography.”
The process came to a head earlier this month, when Porcel and Duran finally got into the studio together.
Neither artist anticipated the ease with which their visions would merge.
“Dreams is the result of the desire to transfer all of our knowledge and to create a perfect show,” said Porcel.
Dreams marks Porcel’s first and hopefully not last premier in Israel.
“This visit, I have a lot more responsibility. The last time we performed in Israel was a big success and I hope we will be able to repeat it.”
Following his engagement in Tel Aviv, Porcel and his team will return to Madrid to work on a new production entitled Moments. The work is to be revealed at some point in mid-2015.
“We would be thrilled to hold the international premier of Moments in Tel Aviv,” said Porcel.
Dreams will be presented on September 29, 30, October 1 and 2 at the Suzanne Dellal Center. For more information, visit www.suzannedellal.org.il.


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